Is Adjusting Right for You?

What comes to mind when you think of being an insurance field adjuster? Is it take a few photos, type in some information, and then get a big fat check? Or, is it hard work, long hours—in the aftermath of a major hurricane—and impeccable customer service? If you think of the latter, you would be correct!

Did you know there are 533 claims filed every hour?1 Insurance is always needed, whether for people or for businesses, no matter what is happening in the economy, making claims adjusting a stable career. Insurance adjusting is more than inspections and creating estimates of damage. We’re here to support our customers and make the family whole again after a catastrophe. We’re essential to any storm or catastrophic event that occurs. We come in to help families get what they need so that they can be in their homes again.

But how do you know if adjusting is right for you? And what kind of claims should you specialize in?

Here’s a simple analogy that a friend shared with me:

Auto is like drag racing: 8 seconds from start to finish.
Homeowners is like NASCAR: typically, 3 hours from start to finish.
Flood is like Le Mans: 24 hours from start to finish.

These time frames illustrate the level of commitment you will need for just these three types of adjusting, but you will find there are other kinds of claims adjusting as well.

There are several things to consider no matter which line you choose.

• Are you able to travel and be away from family for several months at a time to work?
• Are you good with money and time management?
• Do you have the ability to be patient with people?
• Are you willing to give excellent customer service no matter how you may feel that day?

You will find yourself working very long hours 6–7 days a week right after a catastrophe strikes. You will be traveling constantly whether it’s to your appointments with the policyholder or to a new location.

When it’s time to work, it’s time to work hard and diligently. You must be very organized with your schedule. If you don’t stay on top of your tasks and efficiently manage your time, you will quickly fall behind. We have talked to adjusters who have experienced falling behind and they described it as being miserable. These adjusters had an unbelievable amount of stress, unhappy policyholders, their managers were frustrated, and ended up being sent home. This is why we stress the importance of having time management skills.

Don’t let that scare you away — create a daily to-do list, keep track of your appointment schedule, and work hard! If you do these things then you will stay on top of your work and will not fall behind.

Yes, you can make money and do very well adjusting; however, the trick is to “find your fit” so to speak. All aspects of adjusting require dedication, hard work, willingness to learn, and of course you must be willing to adjust—to circumstances and changes.

Ask yourself this question and be very honest: are you okay with missing family holidays and big events? In the adjuster field, you may be called out during the holidays. There is usually no visiting home for the weekend. You will miss quite a few family events. On the other hand, you will have the luxury to work X amount of time a year and take a few months off.

Take your living accommodations into account. Will you be paying a house note and for a hotel while you’re away? It can be difficult to find a temporary house in a short period of time. Although most apartment complexes require at least a 6-month lease, some do make exceptions. Regardless, you could potentially be paying much more in rent costs depending on your circumstances.

So, how do you decide if being a field adjuster is right for you? We suggest simply researching, researching, and a little more researching.

First, research adjusting firms and find the one that you think might be right for you. Look at their website and their social media pages.

Then, once you’ve found the adjusting firm you want to work with, sign up for every type of training they offer for each line of adjusting. These classes will help you determine if adjusting is a career you want to pursue, and which line of adjusting is best suited to your personality and skill set. CNC offers many free courses and webinars on a range of topics.

Overall, a lot of research goes into deciding if adjusting is right for you, but it can be an amazing career choice. If you’re interested in becoming a field or desk adjuster and would like to learn more about CNC call us at 251-471-4718 option 4 or email hr@cnc-resource.com.

“A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers.” — Plato

1 Adjuster Pro

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